EARLS: PCSO WORKED AS FLORIST WHILE OFF SICK

A police community support officer moonlighted as a florist while claiming he was too sick to work, a court heard today (tues).

Daniel Earls, 45, worked with his wife Silvana in the shop in Sittingbourne, in Kent, for more than a year before being caught.

Earls is said to have pocketed around £22,000 of his MET police salary while signed off sick due to ‘stress related conditions’.

Concerned bosses attempted to help Earls, who was based in Catford, southeast London, back to work, but the officer refused.

 

When colleagues visited his home in Doddington, Kent, his wife is said to have slammed the door on them and officers from the force’s professional standards launched an investigation.

It was later discovered that between November 2008 and November 2009 Earls had been working at the Little Covent Garden Florists, in High Street, Sittingbourne.

Earls pleaded guilty to one count of fraud by false representation at Southwark Crown Court.

Bailing Earls while pre-sentence reports are prepared Judge Anthony Leonard QC said: ‘Bearing in kind you have pleaded guilty to what is a serious offence, in my judgement there should be a condition of residence and a second condition that you co-operate with the preparation of a pre-sentence report.’

Speaking after the hearing Inspector Mike Rabstein of the MET’s professional standards unit said: ‘Over a period of time we found that he was working more and more as the main contact for this business.

‘Throughout the Met police continued to offer support for him which he declined.

‘In times of austerity we are committed to providing the best possible service to the public and we will be reclaiming the money.’

Earls of (1) Primrose Place, The Street, Doddington, Kent will appear at the same court on December 6 to be sentenced.

He was granted bail ahead of the next hearing.